Atton's Lake Regional Park will host first Definitely Diving Days organized and hosted by local PADI scuba diving instructor Dennis McCullough during the June 17 to 19 weekend.
The purpose of the weekend is to promote safe diving in a fun-filled environment and to challenge divers to try new facets of the sport while underwater. Atton's Lake was chosen because of easy access and the ban on power boating on the weekend, making is safe and enjoyable for divers.
Registered divers will be able to do a minimum of five dives over the weekend with time for more if they wish. One of the planned dives will be a night dive Saturday evening. Air will be available on site so divers don't have to worry about extra tanks.
A feature of the weekend will also include workshops on the new "toys", the equipment that divers see advertised and dream about, but often to get a chance to experience because of the cost. The workshops will be a combination of classroom and water sessions with a short information period prior to going into the water to try things out. The featured equipment will be dive propulsion vehicles (scooters), underwater metal detectors, full facemask gear with underwater communications and underwater cameras.
Divers from across Saskatchewan and Alberta have been invited and resource people are coming from Alberta Adventure Divers in Wainwright, Alta. and North West Scuba Ventures in Edmonton to assist with the new equipment.
There will be a navigation challenge, a race to stuff a ball full of geometric shapes, sounding we all did above the water when we were littler, as well as a scavenger hunt.
If the weather co-operates it will be a great weekend for everyone, if not, divers are wet anyhow so it doesn't matter much once they get in the lake. Those at Atton's Lake may see a bunch of red flags with white diagonals floating on the water, you'll know it's Definitely Diving Days.
